The Immortal and the maverick
by Ravenclaw16
Summary: A down on his luck gambler, Bret Maverick meets a wayward Immortal, Duncan MacLeod. They both learn they've been hoodwinked by a certin buxom beauty, Amanda. A nice fire, hot coffie and a pack of cards goes a long way when your down in the dumps.


Disclaimer: None of these guys are mine and I am not gaining anything form this.

Note: I wrote this with the original TV show in mind, not the movie w/ Mel Gibson. Picture a young James Garner and I hope you have seen it cause if you have you will appreciate it even more.

The Immortal and The Maverick

I had been ridin' for about a week now and I was startin' to smell a bit like my horse. I had had a run in of bad luck about a week earlier so to speak. I as short $5000, a perfectly good quarter horse and every stitch of clothes I owned besides the tattered suit on my back. How Amanda did it I'll never understand. But I wasn't completely alone in my sorrows. I was on my way to Sunny Acers and tryin' to make up a few hours by ridin' at night when I happened upon the lonely campfire of one Duncan MacLeod. Another unfortunate victim of the devious Amanda.

Naturally he was edgy when I rode up. I could tell by the way that Remington repeater was pointed at my head. Needless to say I introduced maself as peacefully as possible.

'Howdy friend!' I said 'Ma name's Bret Maverick, mind if I share your fire?'

His tone changed a mite and he lowered the rifle 'Duncan MacLeod and your welcome to is as long as you have some coffee.'

'Long on coffee friend, short on cups. I had a few bags stole from me about a week ago.'

He lightened some more and said 'I got the cups.' I handed him what coffee I had and he started to brew it. 'Your from Texas aren't you?'

'Texas indeed sir, 'bouts Dallas. I'm pretty good with accents maself but I can't say as I can place yours. English?'

'Scottish, but I travel a lot. Where you headed?'

'Sunny Acres and you?'

'Tombstone.'

'Yeah I've been there didn't like the tables much.'

'A tinhorn!' He smiled

'I've been called worse.'

'You look well enough off.' I knew he imagined my suit in all its former glory, 'Why are you riding a nag like that?'

'Ole Olly here? I had a run in with a devastatingly beautiful woman who robbed me blind.'

'She have a name?'

I sipped my coffee and said 'Amanda.'

'Let me guess, long black hair, deep brown eyes, fake French accent I bet she hung around the tables till you started winning?'

'You know her?'

'Let's just say we've met.'

'What'd she do to you?'

'What hasn't she done?'

'That bad huh?'

'That bad. So far she has robbed me blind, nearly got me killed, robbed me, seduced me, used me, nearly got me killed and did I mention robbed me?'

'Three times.' I smiled

'And that doesn't even scratch the surface.' He said 'A month or so ago she all but stole the Double Eagle saloon out from under a friend of mine.'

'Did you say the Double Eagle?'

'Yeah.'

'Well your friend wasn't the only one she stole from.'

'That's where she got you isn't it?'

'Yeah still don't know how she did it.'

'That makes two of us.'

'Just talking about her I feel the need to check my pockets.'

He laughed 'I would if I where you.' I knew he was joking but I gone ahead and did anyway. I searched maself and all I found was a deck of cards. 'Tell you what,' He said 'How about I play you a hand or two?'

'Love to friend but I ain't got a nickel to my name.'

'I'll accept an I.O.U.'

'My pappy always said never be debited to another man, chances are you'll end up indebted to his wife too.'

'I'm not married.' He smiled 'Come on I'm a lousy player.'

'In that case.' I laughed

'Penny anti, nickel to the winner, five card draw?'

'What ever you say friend.'

The first three hands I was already 18 cents in the hole. I just knew I would end up givin him my boots. The next hand I won, and another and another. Then he'd win a few and I'd win a few. This went on for a few hours and nether of us was ahead of the other. At about 2 o'clock in the morning I went on a winnin streak and it's didn't stop till sun up. By the time the sun came up MacLeod owed me $200 on which I collected and he didn't seem to mind. Olly and I said our goodbyes with our pockets a little fuller and our heads a little higher. I had no doubt MacLeod would catch up with Amanda one day and reclaim the money he let me win. Yeah I knew he let me win but as my pappy always said . . . You never fold when you got an ace in your hand.


End file.
